On May 2, 2025, a solemn event was held at the site of the Almaty Social and Entrepreneurial Corporation (SEC Almaty), combining two key events in the field of sustainable development in Kazakhstan: the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between SEC Almaty and the Green Urban Association, as well as the award ceremony for the participants of the Smart Plastic Zone project.
The Memorandum was an important step towards promoting environmentally friendly, energy efficient and sustainable solutions in the urban environment. The parties will work in such areas as the introduction of green standards, the promotion of Smart City and Urban Health concepts, the development of sustainable tourism, participation in regulatory initiatives, as well as the organization of educational events to increase the level of environmental culture among citizens and businesses.
"This document is not a formality. It serves as the basis for new initiatives in the field of sustainable development of Almaty. By signing it, we confirm our commitment to the green agenda, sustainable practices and strengthening partnerships that contribute to improving the quality of life in the city. We are confident that this cooperation will become the basis for new initiatives and inspire other organizations to take similar steps," said Zoya Kasenova, Deputy Chairman of the Board of JSC SEC Almaty.
The Smart Plastic Zone project, implemented with the support of Coca-Cola Kazakhstan and the Green Urban Association, is aimed at stimulating businesses to reduce their plastic footprint, introduce sustainable practices and use environmentally friendly solutions.
The project provides for two levels of recognition:
SILVER has been marked significantly: Almaty Finance LLP, Kazakh Elite mektebi ZAMAN LLP, VBR Property LLP (Villa Boutiques & Restaurants), GALANZ bottlers JSC, Grandel LLP (Koktobe Hotel), RC Akbobek LLP (Kostina).
The GOLD badge holders are: JSC SEC Almaty, NAO Narkhoz University, KAZGOR Design Academy LLP, DARIN Construction LLP (Mercure Almaty City Centre), Hotel Zhetysu LLP (Ibis and Novotel living Almaty Jetisu), NAO Aktobe Regional University named after K. Zhubanov", "AQSARAIM" LLP (Ibis Aktobe Hotel), "Lombard BETA KZ" LLP.
"In just a year, the project went beyond Astana and Almaty — Karaganda, Aktobe, Petropavlovsk, East Kazakhstan Region joined us. Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are also showing interest in it. This indicates the high relevance of the environmental agenda in the region," said Yulia Yakupbaeva, moderator of the event, Chairman of the Green Urban Association.
Zhanibek Mukanov, representative of the Center for "Promotion of Sustainable Development", noted:
"Since 2012, together with Coca-Cola, we have collected over 41,000 tons of plastic waste and recycled over 27,000 tons. Smart Plastic Zone offers an effective recognition and motivation tool for companies".
The program's prize-winning participants also presented case studies on the implementation of environmental practices at their enterprises, from plastic replacement to the systematic implementation of sustainable development principles. All presentations emphasized the importance of joint efforts by business, government and civil society in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.